Samak to lose power...and water

The Confederation of State Enterprise Unions yesterday threatened to cut off electricity and tap water to state offices from tomorrow as part of the ongoing anti-government protest.

The unions, with a combined 200,000 workers nationwide, yesterday resolved to hold a partial strike aimed at pressuring the government to cave in and resign.

Secretary-general Sawit Kaewwan said power, water and transport services would be halted from 9am tomorrow.

Unions say they are upset by the use of force by police against protesters last Friday.

Police stations and the residences of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej and Cabinet members are among the targets for halted power and water services.

Households among the general public will not be affected.

Meanwhile, the board of the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) yesterday resigned en masse following a strike by railroad workers in support of the ongoing anti-government protest by the People's Alliance for Democracy.

The seven members, led by Somsak Bunthong, said in a statement that their resignation was a show of responsibility.

Governor Yutthana Thapcharoen said he was encouraging SRT workers to continue performing their duties despite the labour union's call for a strike. At present, 129 routes out of a total of 244 remain in service.

Chatchai Chaiwiset, chairman of a network of private buses under government concession, said large numbers of his buses would be mobilised to run in place of city buses if Bangkok Mass Transit Authority workers joined a mass strike being called by state-enterprise labour unions.

The chairmen of three state-owned banks said they believed their colleagues might join the mass strike but that their jobs would be performed by replacement workers, to ensure continued banking services.

Metropolitan Waterworks Authority governor Charoen Chaikittisin said the stoppage of water service threatened by the MWA's labour union would not affect regular households. He urged MWA workers wanting to go on strike to request leave.

Provincial Electricity Authority governor Adisorn Kiatchokewiwat said he did not believe PEA workers would actually suspend power to government agencies as threatened by the PEA's labour union. Some PEA workers have joined the rally, but his agency's operations are continuing, he said.

Jariya Wetchapoot, president of Siam City Bank's labour union, said the union had no plans to take action but pointed out that employees had a right to join the protest.

Suwanee Kaewkamthong, president of TMB Bank's labour union, said the bank would not support any form of violence.

And Somsak Auman, president of Siam Commercial Bank's labour union, said while the union was neutral, employees could join the PAD rally if they asked for leave.